Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

louis · 2019-09-05 17:01:04

Mentioned on the 2024 Mission thread but I think this is important enough for a separate thread...

https://futurism.com/spacex-starship-mars-landing-site

Looks like Space X planning is more advanced than we thought and that there is a lot of fruitful co-operation with NASA.

SpaceNut · 2019-09-05 18:05:16

Then lets just focus on what is at each site...

https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-starsh … sa-images/

NASA checks SpaceX’s potential Starship landing sites on Mars, with water in mind

NASA is helping SpaceX get a fix on potential landing sites on Mars for its Starship super-spaceship, with an emphasis on Arcadia Planitia and Amazonis Planitia, regions where deposits of water ice may be found.

Still unproven....But NASA’s has been loking towards Phlegra Montes, a mountainous area just west that location.

There is strong evidence for the presence of buried glaciers, known as lobate debris aprons, in the region that was imaged by Mars but still inconfirmed.

The dots represent where they might go.....

louis · 2019-09-05 18:45:00

Yes there was a "surprise" location to the West, in a more mountainous region...

Basically these sites combine near maximum solar power (because close to 30 latitude) with water presence. As I understand it Hi-Rise can detect the v. strong water signal beneath the superificial rock layer.

SpaceNut wrote:

Then lets just focus on what is at each site...
https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-starsh … sa-images/
NASA checks SpaceX’s potential Starship landing sites on Mars, with water in mind
NASA is helping SpaceX get a fix on potential landing sites on Mars for its Starship super-spaceship, with an emphasis on Arcadia Planitia and Amazonis Planitia, regions where deposits of water ice may be found.
Still unproven....But NASA’s has been loking towards Phlegra Montes, a mountainous area just west that location.
There is strong evidence for the presence of buried glaciers, known as lobate debris aprons, in the region that was imaged by Mars but still inconfirmed.
https://cdn.geekwire.com/wp-content/upl … cadia4.jpg
The dots represent where they might go.....

SpaceNut · 2019-09-05 20:45:02

Bedrock is the hard, solid rock beneath surface materials such as soil and gravel. Bedrock also underlies sand and other sediments on the ocean floor. Bedrock is consolidated rock, meaning it is solid and tightly bound. Overlying material is often unconsolidated rock, which is made up of loose particles.

Superficial rock layers are most likely slate or shale which is what I would find under a sea.

louis · 2019-09-06 06:41:21

As long as the water's there!

Looks like one of the first roadways (cleared tracks) made on Mars will probably sweep south east across Amazonis Planitia towards Olympus Mons - got to be an area of interest - and then carry on to Valles Marineris. A highway of 1000 miles or more.

Once on the planet we will probably be uncovering useful water sources at various locations but water can be ferried from the main settlement in robot rovers if necessary.

SpaceNut wrote:

Bedrock is the hard, solid rock beneath surface materials such as soil and gravel. Bedrock also underlies sand and other sediments on the ocean floor. Bedrock is consolidated rock, meaning it is solid and tightly bound. Overlying material is often unconsolidated rock, which is made up of loose particles.
Superficial rock layers are most likely slate or shale which is what I would find under a sea.

SpaceNut · 2019-09-06 16:41:20

Future Nasa mission plans do not seem to be going anywhere near this area.

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars … uture.html

Seems that after the 2020 mission there is nothing in the works....

https://mars.nasa.gov/programmissions/

So after the helicopter flies around we are in a hold until Nasa dreams up what they will want to do.

Sounds like others need to step up to the plate.

louis · 2019-09-06 16:49:37

Yes, big difference between robot landing sites and human landing sites I would suggest.

Robot landing sites don't require a water source and can land in relatively rocky areas. Hence Gale Crater was a great choice by NASA for a landing site.

Human landing sites need flat rock and a close-by water source. Probably going to be a bit boring in terms of immediate payback (unlike Gale Crater).

SpaceNut · 2019-09-06 17:09:39

But you would not send humans without first sending a rover to explore the resources as you then will need to be more prepared by sending more than what they would used as you can not count on water resources to lessen the mass going to mars since you will not know how much you can count on. You also would not know the energy levels required to get the water even if its there. Or even the correct process to not yield up water that would not be useable for drinking.

louis · 2019-09-06 20:46:30

The Space X plan is to send two robot Starships first. If they land successfully that will be the green light for the human landers to follow two years later.

SpaceNut wrote:

But you would not send humans without first sending a rover to explore the resources as you then will need to be more prepared by sending more than what they would used as you can not count on water resources to lessen the mass going to mars since you will not know how much you can count on. You also would not know the energy levels required to get the water even if its there. Or even the correct process to not yield up water that would not be useable for drinking.

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#1 2019-09-05 17:01:04

Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#2 2019-09-05 18:05:16

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#3 2019-09-05 18:45:00

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#4 2019-09-05 20:45:02

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#5 2019-09-06 06:41:21

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#6 2019-09-06 16:41:20

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#7 2019-09-06 16:49:37

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#8 2019-09-06 17:09:39

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

#9 2019-09-06 20:46:30

Re: Starship landing sites on Mars being assessed

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